The agriculture minister in the North West province has been hauled before an internal African National Congress committee for admitting in court papers that the provincial ANC is torn by infighting.
Party sources said Elliot Mayisela had been ordered to appear before the ANC’s provincial officials committee to explain his statement. He might also have to account to the ANC’s provincial working committee, while disciplinary action had not been ruled out.
In a sworn affidavit filed in the Mafikeng High Court, Mayisela said ”three factions contend for political power within the North West ANC”, based on regional differences.
Consolidating the regions — the former Western Transvaal, Pretoria/Witwatersrand/Vaal and Bophuthatswana areas — ”continues to present serious challenges of in-tegration, and the resulting tensions require careful management and control”, he said.
Mayisela’s statement formed part of the government’s case in its dispute with fired agriculture director general Emily Mogajane. He alleged that Mogajane’s actions were symptomatic of the infighting.
The provincial ANC has consistently denied splits in the party, or that divisions are hampering service delivery.
Last week Mogajane won the court battle against Mayisela and North West Premier Edna Molewa. Ruling that the government had not followed the correct procedure in dismissing her, Judge Ronald Hendricks ordered that Mogajane be reinstated.
Party sources told the Mail & Guardian that two main factions existed in the North West ANC, one nicknamed ”the Taliban” and the other ”Mapogo”, while a further faction was based in Vryburg and Taung. The premier and Mayisela were said to belong to the Mapogo grouping.
Mayisela said in his affidavit that as agriculture was the North West’s main source of income, economic stability and job creation, it was important that his department was ”efficiently and effectively managed”.
”Attaining these objectives has not been made easier by infighting and factionalism within the ranks of the department’s employees,” he said.
”In an already troubled province, continued power struggles and splintering of resources [have] undermined the effectiveness of the department.”
Mayisela said rumours of the breakdown of the departmental structures have seriously impaired the functioning of the department, leading to ”the publication of several damaging news-paper reports”.
ANC provincial spokesperson Sam Mokaila denied action had been taken against Mayisela.
He did not want to comment on the minister’s statements, saying their context had to be studied first. ”The assertion of divisions in the ANC in this province are not true,” he said. ”There is no division.”
Despite repeated requests for comment, Mayisela’s office had failed to respond to faxed questions by the time of going to print.